Budget news: OCSEA members spared…
this time

Sept. 24, 2008 - Despite a $540 million dollar budget deficit, it appears OCSEA members will not be directly affected by a second round of state budget cuts. Governor Strickland recently indicated in a press conference that agencies would see a 4.75 percent reduction across the board, excluding DRC and DYS and including just a 2 percent cut for mental health hospitals.

However, thanks to the hard work of OCSEA activists and leaders who sounded the alarm about the affects of cutting the boots-on-the-ground workforce, this next round of cuts—while still devastating for Ohioans—will likely come without reductions to front line employees.

In February, OCSEA members took the brunt of a $750 million dollar cut that included the closure of two mental health hospitals and the shuttering of DC buildings in MR/DD. Hundreds of OCSEA bargaining unit positions were lost through a combination of layoffs, attrition and early retirement incentive programs.

Agency directors have given early indications to OCSEA leaders that these cuts will not directly affect OCSEA bargaining unit staff as they did in February, but will instead be made at the level of the counties and local programming.

“Budget cuts of vital government programs are never a good thing for the citizens of Ohio. However, we do recognize that this is the governor’s attempt to have other stakeholders “share the pain” so that state bargaining unit employees don’t unfairly shoulder all the cuts,” said OCSEA Pres. Eddie L. Parks.

In ODMR/DD, leaders were told that the developmental centers would be held harmless and cuts to central office would likely be made through the attrition of positions. However, subsidies for the county boards of MR/DD will be cut, which will place a burden on the entire MR/DD system of services, including, ultimately, those provided by the DC's.

In ODNR, the union was told cuts will be made to programming, but not to staff. Ohio EPA union leaders also were told, “no cuts.”

ODJFS Director Jones-Kelly indicated in a memo that “no additional internal staff reductions are planned at this time.” The memo also said that programs that were spared the last round of cuts would be looked at this time for reductions, but that no cuts would be made to Medicaid or to the Disability Financial Assistance program.

The administration has said it is their hope that reductions will be made with as little impact to programming as possible.

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